


Ask Me Again

by crashingintothesun



Category: The Gentleman's Guide to Vice and Virtue- Mackenzi Lee
Genre: Canon Compliant, Established Relationship, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-19
Updated: 2017-07-19
Packaged: 2018-12-04 08:50:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,751
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11551737
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/crashingintothesun/pseuds/crashingintothesun
Summary: After the Tour, Monty and Percy are adjusting to their new life. With a new life comes new ideas and new questions regarding their relationshiporThe 3 times Monty proposes to Percy and the 1 time Percy says yes





	Ask Me Again

The first instance in which the idea pops into his head is a week after his final letter to his father is sent. As the ship carries it away, Monty’s heart feels the weight of the years of his father’s torment dissipating. He wastes no longer than a second more thinking about that devilish man, instead choosing to turn to watch Percy, sleeping soundly. The sight brings back memories from long ago of countless hours spent tucked next to Percy in bed, neither aware of the other’s feelings. What dark days those were indeed. The mornings spent waking up with Percy’ unruly curls being sucked into Monty’s nose with each inhale were some of the fondest memories he had of England. In fact, he won’t miss England at all for Monty is currently watching over the only thing which had made it tolerable in the first place.  

As Percy stirs in their bed and starts slowly awakening, Monty walks over and climbs in next to him. He lays down on his side, facing Percy, and flashes him a dimpled smile. “Hello, darling.”

Percy gives Monty a sleepy smile in return, still drowsy from the night before. “Good morning,” he murmurs, bringing a hand to tuck Monty’s stray hairs behind his good ear. Even with sleep still heavy in his eyes and his voice lulled and slow, Monty doesn’t know how Percy manages to remain so breathtaking. It’s abso-bloody-lutely unfair, for him and his tight pants.

“Can I ask you something, love?” Monty asks softly. Their faces are so close that he can count every freckle dotting across Percy’s nose. Percy simply hums in response as he stares back.

“Will you marry me?” 

When Percy declines his proposal, Monty wants to blame it on poor timing, for Percy has just woken up and his mind isn’t fully aware of the circumstances. Monty also curses himself for not being able to control his tongue. That’s one of the negative effects of being around the person you love- you’re rendered useless under their enchanting gaze. Looking into Percy’s eyes have always been one of Monty’s greatest weaknesses. He’s never been able to control his actions with those beautifully soft brown eyes focused on him.  

* * *

 

The second instance in which the idea pops into his head is as he’s watching Percy play his violin, his eyes closed as his fingers effortlessly glide over the strings. After the disasters they have faced in the past weeks, one of the most dreadful being the period in which Percy ignored Monty after his reckless denial in that damned theater box in Paris, the melodies pouring from the magic of Percy’s fingertips is the only thing that feels like home.

Monty gets up from his seat and confidently makes his way across the room. He then kneels down next to Percy, gently placing his hand on his thigh, a silent plea to stop the music. As Percy stops playing, he looks down at Monty with those piercing brown eyes. Monty’s heart stops momentarily in his chest before he asks again:  
“Darling, will you marry me?”

Percy laughs softly before shaking his head disapprovingly as if to say: “Oh, Monty.” He then picks up his violin and resumes his music.

Down on the floor, Monty feels as if he’s hit almost rock bottom. Surely that’s a lie because he knows that rock bottom in his life is a tie between the beating he got after the Eton expulsion and when he almost died by gunshot in a collapsing tower. Almost dying and being beaten to a pulp by the devil himself, however, pales in comparison to the bruises his ego is facing in this moment, on his knees, being rejected for the second time by the love of his life. He then stands up and brushes off his legs before silently turning and exiting the room. He figures that some fresh air down by the ocean ought to do him some good.

Monty lays down on the sand, letting the breeze wafting from the sea cool him off. He shuts his eyes, avoiding the blazing light of the sun. He honestly can’t think of a single reason as to why Percy would decline, except maybe he doesn’t feel the same anymore. If his face hadn’t been horribly scarred in the accident, Monty knows without a doubt that Percy would have accepted his proposal.

Monty’s heart drops into his stomach at his epiphany as he sits back up, looking straight out to the ocean. If Percy doesn’t feel the same towards Monty then Monty feels as if absolutely nothing is worth living for. Percy _is_ his life, ever since he had to be retrieved from Eton. Percy had found him hiding from his father, sporting a horribly bruised face. When Monty had expressed his desire to simply die, because it would be easier than living under the constant scrutiny of his hellish father, Percy had been able to cheer him up with a simple list of why Monty should stay alive. Sure, most of them were taking the piss out of him, but the idea that Percy had the mind to even make a list in the first place set Monty’s heart racing, and it hasn’t ceased around Percy since.

He doesn’t even blink when he sees Percy join him on the beach out of his peripheral vision.

“How long has it been since you’ve fallen out of love with me?” he asks. Monty’s never been one to think before he speaks.

Percy turns towards him, his face puzzled. “Monty, what the hell are you going on about? I’m still very much in love with you. Why would you think I’m not?”

“You won’t agree to marry me,” Monty tells him, still staring out at the ocean. Sitting next to the vastness of it is making Monty feel so small and alone, as if he and Percy are the only two on the planet. It’s just how he always imagined it would be: Percy and him. Together always.

“Do you want to know why I won’t marry you?” Percy asks.

Monty scoffs at that, turning to look at him dejectedly. “No. I’ve no desire to know why I’ve been rejected,” he replies sarcastically.

“It’s because you’re not thinking realistically, Monty. For God’s sake, do you honestly think there are people here who would marry us? Not only because we’re both men, but have you looked at me recently?”  
“Well why should any of that matter?”  
“It shouldn’t, but it does. I wouldn’t want to get our hopes up only to be run out of town by their ignorance.”

They fall into a silence. Percy reaches over to place his hand on top of Monty’s.

“I want to be with you, forever. I don’t need to be your husband to know how I feel about you, Monty. If that were the case, we should’ve been married long ago.”

The corner of Monty’s lips curl up into a smile at that. “I still can’t believe you’ve been in love with me for so long.”

“I still can’t believe you never knew,” Percy counters. “You’re not very observant.”

“That’s not true! I know every inch of your body in detail. How’s that for unobservant?”

“That’s lust, darling.”

Monty laughs in protest, moving swiftly so he’s pinned Percy down on his back, his own body resting lightly against his, propping himself up by his elbows.

“Please marry me,” he whispers before leaning in and pressing a chaste kiss just below Percy’s ear. He feels Percy’s breath get caught in his throat.

“No,” Percy breathes out.

“C’mon, darling, marry me,” Monty murmurs, moving his lips to press against the corner of Percy’s.

“What will people think?”

“To hell with what everyone else thinks. We don’t need them. All I want is you and me making a vow to each other. I’ve lost everything else, I want to make sure that I won’t lose you too.”

“But we’d need a priest,” Percy points out. “And a witness.”

“All I want is you and me, making a vow to each other,” Monty repeats softly, his lips barely brushing across Percy’s.

“It won’t be a true marriage,” Percy protests weakly.

“Who gives a damn if it’s true or not?” Monty asks as he pulls away from Percy. He sits up, straddling his lover’s lap and looking down as the sun reflects across his dark skin. “If we take a vow, I’ll get to call you my husband. And when people ask, they’ll never have to know. Then, hopefully someday, the laws will change and we’ll be accepted. If that ever happens, you and me? We’ll be the first ones to get married. Officially and truly.”

A small smile crosses Percy’s face and he nods.

“Okay, but, on one condition.”

"Anything for you, love."

"Ask me again."

Monty smirks at that as he stands up fully, pulling Percy up with him. He grabs both of Percy’s hands in his own, holding onto them tightly.

“Percy, for years you have stuck beside me as a friend, a confidant, and even as a man on the run. You have been by my side through thick and thin, through angry fathers, pirates, and vengeful Dukes. I never believed that I could be anything more than the bad I’ve done; I believed that I was irredeemable, until you came along. You’ve showed me more love than I ever expected to receive and you’ve showed me that I am more than the worst parts of me. Nothing would give me greater pleasure than to live the rest of my life by your side. Percy Newton, would you, please, do me the greatest honor of becoming my husband?”

“I wouldn’t really consider it an honor,” Percy teases, his voice cracking as he chokes up, his true emotions betraying him. Monty shoots him a teary-eyed glare. “But yes. Undoubtedly, yes.”

As they’re walking from the beach back up to their home Percy finds himself chuckling.  
“What’s so funny?” Monty inquires.

“I’ve just never heard you be so romantic before. If that was just the proposal, I’m very intrigued about your vows.”

Monty scoffs playfully at that. “I’m incredibly offended.”

Percy laughs and bumps his body into Monty’s softly. “Good.”

Monty bumps Percy back, however it comes out more forceful than intended, sending Percy stumbling to the side a bit. Before he can fall, Monty reaches out and wraps his hand securely around Percy’s arm.

“Steady on, darling.”

**Author's Note:**

> It's about time that TGGTVAV is getting fics and I am so happy to be some of the first to contribute. Thank you so much to Mackenzi Lee for writing this incredible book with these incredible boys
> 
> (If you didn't realize, the "Steady on, darling" is a direct quote from the book that I adore so much and just had to use)
> 
> Come say hi on [tumblr](http://allthelove2k17.tumblr.com/) !


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